Matthew often attended car shows with his dad as a child, forming a passion for cars and, eventually, mechanical engineering. "The thought of getting to know the inner workings of the vehicles that I greatly admired at the shows intrigued me," says Matthew. Matthew then learned all he could about the mechanics of automobiles and robotics. Then, as a teen, Matthew built a toy car from a kit and programmed it to turn and go straight and perform basic tasks.
After participating in an engineering camp at Texas Southern University in 2020, Matthew decided to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering because "mechanical engineering can allow me to work in the robotics industry, aerospace industry, construction industry, or even electronics industry." Matthew is enrolled at Prairie View A&M and accepted as a student in the Honors College. He chose Prairie View because he felt "as a young black man, going to an HBCU would cater more to my growth as an individual as well as give me unique experiences of culture and support." Matthew recalls that as a teen, he saw that many African-American students were not exposed to STEM programs, thus not seeing the opportunities for a career in engineering. Therefore, once in the working world, Matthew hopes to be a role model to other young Black men.
Now a Senior, Matthew has maintained a 3.4 GPA and plans to take a semester internship next Spring. After graduation, Matthew intends to use his engineering degree to better the lives of people in his community and in the world. Matthew is grateful to Chapelwood for helping fund his college education, which he could not have done alone. "By helping me and changing my life, you are also changing the lives of the thousands of people I will impact over my lifetime."
